Plastic overcap for domed top aerosol can



Dec. 28, 1965 E. FRANKENBERG- 3,225,958

PLASTIC OVERCAP FOR DOMED TOP AEROSOL CAN Filed April 17, 1963 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR HENRY 'EfFRnuzauBEza.

ATTORNEYS D 1965 H. E. FRANKENBERG 3,225,958

PLASTIC OVERCAP FOR DOMED TOP AEROSOL CAN Filed April 17, 1963 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR Heuzv fifPenuxeueeea LO 0' BY Fl: WM m M ATTORNEYS United States Patent Office 3,225,958 Patented Dec. 28, 1965 3,225,958 PLASTIC OVERCAP FOR DOMED TOP AEROSOL CAN Henry E. Frankenberg, Berwyn, 111., assignor to Continental Can Company Inc., New York, N.Y., a corporation of New York Filed Apr. 17, 1963, Ser. No. 273,599 7 Claims. (Cl. 220-60) This invention relates to a plastic overcap for a dispenser can, and more particularly for use with a pressurized valve-dispenser can having a dome top.

It is an object of this invention to provide a plastic overcap in the form of a cup-shaped shell which overlies and is receivable in an annular recess at the top end of a can which has a dome top.

It is a further object of this invention to provide the cup-shaped shell with means for attaching the shell to the can.

Another object of this invention is to provide the shell with an internal concentric annular wall for attaching the shell to the can and holding the shell in spaced relation to a dispensing valve which is provided in the dome of the can.

It is another object of this invention to provide a channel in the annular wall at the lower end thereof to form spaced concentric inner and outer flange extensions for receiving therebetween a curled top formation which connects a valve mounting to the domed top.

It is a further object of this invention to provide the inner and outer flange extensions wit-h uniformly spaced vertical stiffening ribs on the sides remote from the space therebetween.

Another object of this invention is to dispose the ribs in staggered relationship and to provide oppositely disposed and correspondingly staggered protuberances at the lower inside edges of the spaced flanges for removably attaching the overcap to the curled top formation of the can.

A further object of this invention is to provide a plurality of ribs which extend radially inwardly from a cylindrical wall of the overcap.

Another object of this invention is to provide protuberances on the radial ribs which extend inwardly for riding over and beneath the curled top formation for retaining the overcap on the can.

A still further object of this invention is to provide the radial ribs with lower end portions which closely conform to the curvature of the domed can.

With the above and other objects in view which will hereinafter appear, the nature of the invention will be more clearly understood by reference to the following detailed description, the appended claimed subject matter and the several views illustrated in the accompanying drawings.

In the drawings:

FIGURE 1 is a fragmentary perspective view of a can of the type having a domed top and a dispensing valve connected to the domed top by a curled top formation and shows a plastic overcap including a tubular side wall, a transverse wall closing one end thereof and an inner annular member depending from the transverse wall for connecting the overcap to the curled top formation of the can.

FIGURE 2 is a cross-sectional view taken on line 22 of FIGURE 1 with portions of the can broken away for clarity and shows the annular member as having a channel therein which separates inner and outer Walls of the annular member, reinforcing ribs on the sides of the inner and outer walls remote from the channel, and staggered protuberances on the sides of the inner and outer walls adjacent to the channel.

FIGURE 3 is a cross-sectional view taken on the line 33 of FIGURE 2 and shows one form of the present invention wherein the channel separates spaced concentric inner and outer flange extensions and the channel has an internal end wall which is disposed closer to a lower edge of the flange extensions than to the transverse wall, thus defining a relatively shallow channel.

FIGURE 4 is a fragmentary sectional view similar to FIGURE 2 and shows a modified form of the present invention characterized in that no ribs have been provided on the sides of the annular member remote from the channel.

FIGURE 5 is a fragmentary sectional view, similar to FIGURE 3, taken on the line 55 of FIGURE 4 and shows a shallow channel in the annular member and a protuberance on the outer flange extension of the straight walled annular member.

FIGURE 6 is a fragmentary sectional view, similar to FIGURE 2 and shows another form of the invention.

FIGURE 7 is a fragmentary sectional view taken on line 7-7 of FIGURE 6 and shows the channel in the annular member as having an internal end wall which substantially corresponds to the inner surface of the transverse wall and thus provides a deep channel in the annular member.

FIGURE 8 is a plan view, partly in section, with parts broken away and shows a modified form of the present invention wherein a plurality of circumferentially spaced radially disposed ribs are each provided with a protuberance for providing a snap, friction fit under the curled top formation of the can.

FIGURE 9 is a fragmentary sectional view taken on line 99 of FIGURE 8 and shows one of the radially disposed ribs as having a lower arc-ua-te skirt portion which conforms closely to the contour of the domed portion of the can.

Referring to the drawings in detail, there is shown in FIGURE 1, a can, generally indicated by the numeral 10, and an overcap, generally indicated by the numeral 11. The can 10 is of the type which contains a product packaged under pressure for readily dispensing and includes a cylindrical, seamless side Wall 12, and a dome top 13 connected to the side wall 12 by a double seam 14. A standard type clinched style valve cap 15 is connected to the dome top 13 by a curled top formation 16. A known type of push button valve 17, for dispensing fluid from the can 10, is shown in FIGURE 3 as being centrally mounted in the valve cup 15.

The overcap 11 is preferably molded in one piece of thermoplastic material, such as polystyrene, but may be formed of other material if so desired. The overcap 11 includes a tubular side wall 18 which is provided with a collar 19 which merely sits in an annular recess 20 that is provided by the dome top 13 and double seam 14. The tubular side wall 18 is closed at the end opposite from the collar 19 by a transverse wall 21 thus forming the overcap 11 in a configuration of a cup-shaped shell.

A means for attaching the overcap 11 to the can 10 is provided by an internal concentric annular member 22 that depends from the end wall 21 of the cup-shaped shell or overcap 11 in spaced relation to the tubular side wall 18. The depending annular member 22 has a channel 23 therein at the lower end thereof for providing an inner flange extension 24- and a spaced concentric outer flange extension 25. The channel 23 is provided with an internal end wall 26 which is disposed closer to a lower edge 27 of the annular member 22 than to the transverse wall 21 such that the channel 23 is shallow in depth. The inner and outer flange extensions 24 and are positioned for receiving therebetween the curled top formation 16 which connects the dome top 13 to the valve cup 15.

The inner flange extension 24 is provided with uniformly spaced vertical stiffening ribs 28, and the outer flange extension 25 is provided with uniformly spaced vertical stiffening ribs 29. The stiffening ribs 28 and 29 are on the sides of the annular member 22 remote from the channel 23 and extend to the transverse wall 21 of the overcap 11. The stiffening ribs 28 and 29 on the inner and outer flange extensions 24 and 25 are disposed in staggered relationship and have oppositely disposed and correspondingly staggered protuberances 30 and 31, respectively, at the ends of the flange extensions 24 and 25 for removably attaching the overcap 11 to the can 10.

When the cup-shaped shell of the overcap 11 is pushed onto the top of the can 10, the protuberances 31D and 31 on the inner and outer flange extensions 24 and 25, respectively, are respectively flexed inwardly and outwardly to pass over the curled top formations 16 of the valve cup 15 and thereafter return to normal or near normal positions beneath the curled top formation 16 to retain the overcap 11 on the can It). The protuberances 3t and 31 present smoothly rounded lower portions 32 and 33, respectively, as best shown in FIGURE 3, for engagement with the curled top formation 16. The protuberances 30 and 31 protrude slightly into the channel 23 as indicated by the angle a, as shown in FIGURE 3.

A modified form of cup-shaped shell or overcap 4%) is shown in FIGURES 4 and 5. The overcap is provided with a tubular side wall 41 and a collar 42 at one end thereof for positioning the overcap in a recess of a dome top of a can, such as the recess 20 in the dome top 13 of the can 12, as shown in FIGURE 3. The tubular side wall 41 is closed at the end opposite from the collar 42 by a transverse wall 44. The transverse wall 44 is provided with a depending annular member 45 which has an inner wall 46 and a concentric outer wall 47. The inner wall 46 and the outer wall 47 of the annular member 45 define, in cross-section, a pair of concentric circles, as best shown in FIGURE 4.

The annular member 45 is provided at its lower end with an inner flange extension 48 and an outer flange extension 49 to define a channel 50 which has an internal end wall 51. The channel 50 is formed to receive therein the curled top formation 16 of a can 10. The inner flange extension 48 is provided on the wall adjacent to the channel 50 with a plurality of protuberances 52 and the corresponding wall of the outer flange extension 42 is provided with a plurality of protuberances 53. The protuberances 52 on the inner flange extension 48 and the protuberances 53 on the outer flange extension 49 are correspondingly staggered so as to be in radial misalignment, as shown in FIGURE 4. The protuberances 52 and 53 are provided with smoothly rounded lower portions 54 and 55, respectively, as shown in FIGURE 5, and protrude slightly into the channel 50 as indicated by the angle b. The modified form of overcap 40, as shown in FIGURES 4 and 5 differs from the overcap 11 of FIGURES 2 and 3 in that the overcap 40 is not provided with reinforcing ribs on the annular member 45. Thus, the inner and outer flange extensions 48 and 49 of the overcap 40 are more flexible than the corresponding inner and outer flange extensions 24 and 25 of the overcap 11. The flexibility of the flange extensions 48 and 49 permit these members to yield more easily than the flange extensions 24 and 25. Therefore, the overcap 11, of FIGURES 2 and 3, is very securely held on the curled top formation 16, while the overcap 40 is more easily positioned on and removed from the curled top formation 16.

In FIGURES 6 and 7, there is illustrated another form of the present invention in the form of a cup-shaped shell or overcap, generally indicated by the numeral 60, which is similar to the overcap 11 and the overcap 40, previously described. The overcap includes a tubular side wall 61 having at a lower end thereof a collar 62 which merely sits in the annular recess 20 of the can 10. The

tubular side wall 61 is closed at the end opposite to the collar 62 by a transverse wall 63. An annular member, generally indicated by the numeral 64, is inwardly spaced from the side wall 61, and is integral with and depends from the transverse wall 63. The annular member 64 includes an inner wall 65 and an outer wall 66 which are spaced from each other by an annular channel 67. The channel 67 is provided with an internal end wall 68, and the channel 67 is extended such that the end wall 68 substantially corresponds to the inner surface of the transverse wall 63.

The annular member 64 includes an inner flange extension 69 and an outer flange extension 70 which are bounded by the inner and outer walls 65 and 66.

The inner flange extension 69 is provided with a plurality of circumferentially spaced vertical strengthening ribs 71 and the outer flange extension 70 is provided with a plurality of circumferentially spaced vertical strengthening ribs 72. The stiffening ribs 71 on the inner flange extension 69 and the strengthening ribs 72 on the outer flange extension 79 are disposed in staggered relationship and have oppositely disposed and correspondingly staggered protuberances 7.3 and 74, respectively, at the lower ends of the extensions 69 and 7 0 for removably attaching the overcap 60 to the can 10.

When the overcap 61) is pushed onto the top of the can 10, the protuberances 73 on the inner flange extension 69 and the protuberances 74 on the outer flange extension 70 are respectively flexed inwardly and outwardly to pass over the curled top formation 16 at the periphery of the valve cup 15 and thereafter return to normal or near normal positions beneath the curled top formation 16 to retain the overcap 60 on the can 10.

The overcap 6b, as shown in FIGURES 6 and 7, is more easily placed onto, and removed from, the can 10 than the overcap 11 of FIGURES 2 and 3. The inner and outer flange etxensions 24 and 25, of the overcap 11, are more rigid than the inner and outer flange extensions 69 and '70 of the overcap 66; therefore, the overcap 11 is more securely held onto the can than is the overcap 60, but the overcap 60 is more easily assembled onto, and removed from, the can 10 than is the overcap 11.

FIGURES 8 and 9 illustrate another form of the present invention and show an overcap, generally indicated by the numeral 80, which includes a tubular side wall 81 having a collar 82 at one end thereof and being closed at the opposite end by a transverse wall 83. The overcap is provided with a plurality of equally spaced, diametrically opposed, radially disposed ribs 84 on the inner surface of the tubular side wall 81. The overcap 80 is freely mounted in the recess 20, of the dome top 13, by the collar 82.

Each of the ribs 84 is integral with and depends from the transverse wall 83 and is likewise integral with the tubular side wall 81. Each rib 84 is provided with a protuberance 85 that extends inwardly for riding over and beneath the curled top formation 16 for retaining the overcap 80 on the top of the can 10. The ribs 84 and the protuberances 85 provide a very secure connection between the overcap 80 and the can 10 because the ribs 84 are substantially non-flexible in a radial direction. Further, the connection between the overcap 30 and the can 10 is made even more secure by contouring the lower end wall 86 of the rib 84 such that the lower end wall 86 lies in substantially mating engagement with the dome top 13 of the can 10. As a result, the dome top 13 will be engaged by the lower end wall 86 if a transverse force is applied to the tubular side wall 81 which would normally tend to disengage the overcap 80 from the can 10.

While preferred forms and arrangement of parts have been shown in illustrating the invention, it is to be clearly understood that various changes in details and arrangement of parts may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined in the appended claimed subject matter.

I claim:

1. An overcap for a can, said overcap comprising a cup-shaped shell having a tubular side wall and a transverse wall closing an end thereof; an annular member depending from said transverse wall, said annular member including an outer Wall and an inner wall; a channel in said annular member, said channel providing spaced concentric inner and outer flange extensions for receiving therebetween a curled formation of said can; and a plurality of protuberances circumferentially spaced in staggered relationship on a lower edge of said inner and outer flange extensions on the sides adjacent the channel therebetween.

2. An overcap for a can, said overcap comprising a cup-shaped shell having a tubular side wall and a transverse wall closing an end thereof; an annular member depending from said transverse wall, said annular member including an outer wall and an inner wall; a channel in said annular member, said channel providing spaced concentric inner and outer flange extensions for receiving therebetween a curled formation of said can; and a plurality of ribs uniformly spaced on the sides of said inner and outer flange extensions remote from said channel, said ribs being disposed in staggered relationship whereby the ribs on said inner flange extensions are in radial misalignment with the ribs on said outer flange extension.

3. An overcap for a can, said overcap comprising a cup-shaped shell having a tubular side wall and a transverse wall closing an end thereof; an annular member depending from said transverse wall, said annular member including an outer Wall and an inner wall; a channel in said annular member, said channel providing spaced concentric inner and outer flange extensions for receiving therebetween a curled formation of said can; a plurality of protuberances circumferentially spaced in staggered relationship on a lower edge of said inner and outer flange extensions on the sides adjacent the channel therebetween; and a plurality of ribs circumferentially spaced on said annular member.

4. An overcap as defined in claim 2 wherein said channel is provided with an internal end wall, said channel being extended such that said end wall substantially corresponds to the inner surface of said transverse wall.

5. An overcap for a can, said overcap comprising a cup-shaped shell having a tubular side wall and a transverse wall closing an end thereof; an annular member depending from said transverse wall, said annular member including an outer wall and an inner wall; a channel in said annular member, said channel providing spaced concentric inner and outer flange extensions for receiving therebetween a curled formation of said can; a plurality of protuberances circumferentially spaced on said inner and outer flange extensions on the sides thereof adjacent to said channel therebetween, and a plurality of circumferentially spaced ribs on said inner and outer flange extensions on the sides thereof remote from said channel, the ribs and protuberances on said outer flange extension being disposed in radial alignment with respect to each other, and the ribs and protuberances on said inner flange extension being disposed in radial alignment with respect to each other, the ribs and protuberances on said outer flange extension being disposed in staggered relationship with respect to the ribs and protuberances on said inner flange extension and in radial misalignment therewith.

6. An overcap as defined in claim 2 wherein a plurality of protuberances are circumferentially spaced on said inner and outer flange extensions on the sides thereof adjacent to said channel therebetween.

7. An overcap as defined in claim 1 wherein said channel is provided with an internal end wall, said channel being extended such that said end wall substantially corresponds to the inner surface of said transverse wall.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,612,293 9/1952 Michel 222182 2,775,372 12/1956 Jordan 220 2,884,160 4/1959 Abplanalp 222182 2,961,128 11/1960 Cochran. 3,058,626 10/1962 Hibbs et al. 222182 THERON E. CONDON, Primary Examiner.

EARLE J. DRUMMOND, Examiner. 

1. AN OVERCAP FOR A CAN, SAID OVERCAP COMPRISING A CUP-SHAPED SHELL HAVING A TUBULAR SIDE WALL AND A TRANSVERSE WALL CLOSING AN END THEREOF; AN ANNULAR MEMBER DEPENDING FROM SAID TRANSVERSE WALL, SAID ANNULAR MEMBER INCLUDING AN OUTER WALL AND AN INNER WALL; A CHANNEL IN SAID ANNULAR MEMBER, SAID CHANNEL PROVIDING SPACED CONCENTRIC INNER AND OUTER FLANGE EXTENSIONS FOR RECEIVING THEREBETWEEN A CURLED FORMATION OF SAID CAN; AND A PLURALITY OF PROTUBERANCES CIRCUMFERENTIALLY SPACED IN STAGGERED RELATIONSHIP ON A LOWER EDGE OF SAID INNER AND OUTER FLANGE EXTENSIONS ON THE SIDES ADJACENT THE CHANNEL THEREBETWEEN. 